Community groups and livelihoods in remote rural areas of Ghana: How small-scale farmers sustain collective action

2003 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Community Groups ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

scholarly journals Insects and Their Products as a Potential Source of Food, Feed and Economic Security: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-80
Author(s):  
S. A Dattijo
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Global Commerce ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
High Level

Due to many ways by which they are exploited, insects and their products could be a very big business. They are sold for agricultural protection, crop pollination, as well as human, livestock and pet nutrition. In addition, their products are sold for pharmaceuticals, health, and the implements for research, art works and a host of other uses. This review focused on commercialization of insects and their products with a view of sharing existing knowledge on global commerce of various insects and their products. Available literature revealed that there was an increase in demand for edible insects in the United States of America and prices were as high as $150 kg-1. Similarly, between 2010 and 2015, animal feed market in the United Kingdom grew at 3.5% annually and is currently worth £5 billion. Because of its scarcity, high demand, and recognition of its healing properties, royal jelly, one of the most sought after from bee products commands astronomical price internationally. In addition, no any other industry could generate high level of employment as sericulture, especially in rural areas where it takes 11 workdays to produce a Kg of raw silk. The contribution insects and their products can give to improve the economy of a developing country such as Nigeria is considerable, but underestimated or neglected. Insects are unlikely to make a major contribution in the near future, but the idea that they are potential source of overcoming the economic problems is not as farfetched as it seemed. Therefore, there is the need to adopt an added value approach to insects and their products and sensitize as well as encourage small-scale farmers, who are disadvantaged in international market participation due to lack of access to information, services, technology or the capacity, to produce larger volumes of quality insect products.

scholarly journals THE DOMESTICATED DONKEY: III -ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE, UNCOMMON USAGES, REPRODUCTION TRAITS, GENETICS, NUTRITION AND HEALTH CARE.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Orhan Yılmaz ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Nutrition And Health ◽  
Reproduction Traits ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Donkeys are odd-toed, short-legged and long ears Equidae. Donkeys are used as traction animals in rural areas for small-scale farmers. They are an important farm animal species which adapted to the different environments, hard conditions and harsh climates

Analysis of Harvesting Sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 59-67
Author(s):  
Suchismita Satapathy
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Machine Cost ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The existing harvesters for farming purposes are not affordable to small-scale farmers because of their financial reasons. Moreover, there is a requirement of a small, economic, more accessible & effective machine cost and also these are not available in most of the rural areas due to transportation or finance which would be easily operatable by the small scale farmers. In view of this, the present study was carried out by a depth review of literature s and expert concern is taken for existing harvesting practices and machines. Further, on the basis of ergonomic assessment followed by ISM analysis was done for considering the existing and the modified machines.

scholarly journals Small-scale Farming and Access to Market: Challenges and Opportunities in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
Confidence Ndlovu ◽  
Mandla Masuku
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Limited Access ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The paper has aimed to explore the effectiveness of small-scale farmers in improving household income and food security, particularly looking at the barriers to market access in rural areas. This study was undertaken in rural areas of Kanyamazane, Clau-Clau and Nyongane, South Africa, where small-scale producers depend on low-risk and low-return markets to generate household income from production, thus ensuring food security. To achieve the aim of this study, a qualitative approach was used to provide in-depth interpretation of the perspectives, experiences, and behavioural patterns of the small-scale farmers faced with market related issues. Small-scale farmers, agricultural extension officers, and municipal officials were purposefully selected to share their views, perceptions, and experiences on the effectiveness in accessing markets. The findings revealed that there was limited access to formal markets by small-scale farmers because of limited knowledge and capacity to meet market requirements. The study confirmed that a lack of marketing skills, institutional support services, and limited access to arable land, have directly negative effects on achieving livelihood outcomes. This study recommends a sustainable crop production method which reduces the costs of farming resources, such as pesticide and fertilizer, through organic methods to ensure food safety and enhanced nutrient quality. This study further encourages inclusive rural development, where small-scale producers are treated as stakeholders in agricultural policy formulation to enable access to financial resources and increase in production through the formation of cooperatives.

scholarly journals Reliability of the Agricultural Extension and Technological Services among Rice Farmers in the Rural Areas of Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-31
Author(s):  
D. Kulyakwave Peter ◽  
Shiwei Xu ◽  
Wen Yu ◽  
Sar Sary ◽  
S. Muyobozi
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Performance ◽  
Technological Information ◽  
Application Methods ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Information Providers

This study provided insights into the availability and use of agricultural information by small scale farmers in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. The research used structured questionnaires to interview 240 rice farmers in the Mbeya region. The findings revealed that farmers accessed agricultural information from various agents including local government extension staff, neighbors and friends, advertisements, electronic media including the internet, television, radio, and other channels. The identified technological information application methods included by lectures, field demonstrations, exposure visits to various places, and printed production. The majority of farmers perceived to have dissatisfied (43%), strongly dissatisfied (25%), strongly satisfied (20%), satisfied (8%), and no opinions (4%) concerning accessibility to agricultural information and technological services. The majority of farmers claimed that both agricultural information and technological communication are strongly needed for agricultural performance. The study suggests that government and non-government organizations should collaborate to bridge the existing information-sharing gap between farmers and  information providers. Keywords: extension communication, technological information, rural areas, rice farmers, Tanzania.

scholarly journals Growing and Eating Food during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Farmers’ Perspectives on Local Food System Resilience to Shocks in Southern Africa and Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8556
Author(s):  
Nicole Paganini ◽  
Kustiwa Adinata ◽  
Nomonde Buthelezi ◽  
David Harris ◽  
Stefanie Lemke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The COVID-19 outbreak forced governments to make decisions that had adverse effects on local food systems and supply chains. As a result, many small-scale food producers faced difficulties growing, harvesting, and selling their goods. This participatory research examines local small-scale farmers’ challenges as farmers but also as consumers and their coping strategies during the month of April and one week in June 2020. The study was initiated and conceptualized in collaboration with small-scale farmer members of an existing research network in selected urban and rural areas in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Indonesia. Participants co-designed the research, collected and uploaded data through digital survey tools, and contributed to data analysis and interpretation. A common observation across regions is that the measures imposed in response to COVID-19 highlighted and partly exacerbated existing socio-economic inequalities among food system actors. Strict lockdowns in Cape Town, South Africa, and Masvingo, Zimbabwe, significantly restricted the production capacity of small-scale farmers in the informal economy and created more food insecurity for them. In Maputo, Mozambique, and Toraja and Java, Indonesia, local food systems continued to operate and were even strengthened by higher social capital and adaptive capacities.

scholarly journals IoT Sensing Platform as a Driver for Digital Farming in Rural Africa

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 3511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Oliveira-Jr ◽  
Carlos Resende ◽  
André Pereira ◽  
Pedro Madureira ◽  
João Gonçalves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sensing Platform ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Rural Africa ◽  
Do It Yourself ◽  
Software Modularity ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Digital Farming

Small-scale farming can benefit from the usage of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve crop and soil management and increase yield. However, in order to introduce digital farming in rural areas, related ICT solutions must be viable, seamless and easy to use, since most farmers are not acquainted with technology. With that in mind, this paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) sensing platform that provides information on the state of the soil and surrounding environment in terms of pH, moisture, texture, colour, air temperature, and light. This platform is coupled with computer vision to further analyze and understand soil characteristics. Moreover, the platform hardware is housed in a specifically designed robust casing to allow easy assembly, transport, and protection from the deployment environment. To achieve requirements of usability and reproducibility, the architecture of the IoT sensing platform is based on low-cost, off-the-shelf hardware and software modularity, following a do-it-yourself approach and supporting further extension. In-lab validations of the platform were carried out to finetune its components, showing the platform’s potential for application in rural areas by introducing digital farming to small-scale farmers, and help them delivering better produce and increasing income.

scholarly journals Law and the Exclusionary Essence of Large-Scale Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa Land

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 315-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomaso Ferrando
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Land Grabbing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Global Land ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Abstract ‘Global land grabbing’ represents one of the hottest topics of debate within the areas of developmental and agricultural studies. However, this article claims that a narrow focus on the illegality and consequences of the ‘grabbing’, rather than on large scale investments in land (LaSIL) as a form of economic development which is inherently exclusionary, can be detrimental to the future of small-scale farmers. A short-term perspective overlooks the indirect consequences of industrialization, and legitimizes long-term exclusions and marginalization. Through past and present evidence, this paper demonstrates that LaSIL as competing projects will inevitably produce the abandonment of rural areas, the proletarianization of peasants, and the increase in social inequality, against any possibility for coexistence and harmonious cooperation.

scholarly journals A review of artisanal cheese making: An African perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-309
Author(s):  
F. Nyamakwere ◽  
G. Esposito ◽  
K. Dzama ◽  
E. Raffrenato
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fermented Milk ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cheese Making ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Artisanal cheeses and other fermented milk products have long been part of the diet of African rural communities. Cheese is a source of nutrients that are essential to the development and growth of children in rural areas, where intake of amino acids, vitamin A, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphate, and polyunsaturated fatty acids may be limited. Wara, Karish, Ayib, Takammart, Wagashi, Domiati, and Ras are prominent cheeses of African origin. Artisanal cheese making should be expanded to improve people’s nutritional status at low cost, stimulate the local economy, and empower small-scale farmers. This review firstly gives an overview of artisanal cheese production and consumption, and evaluates opportunities and challenges, while focusing on an African perspective. Secondly, it provides an insight into strategies that could improve cheese making at small-scale level. Possible areas of research and knowledge gaps are highlighted, particularly ways of improving cheese quality and safety.

scholarly journals A documentation of plants used by rural small-scale farmers to control maize pests in the eastern cape province of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (02) ◽  
pp. 17643-17655
Author(s):  
NL Skenjana ◽  
◽  
AJ Afolayan ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Pest Control Methods

Maize(Zea mays L.)small-scale farmers in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa are generally under-resourced, and as a result, their crops are vulnerable to pest attacks. The farmers often cannot afford farming implements and inputs, and tend to improvise with what is freely available in their surroundings. Regarding pests, farmers tend not to follow the conventional use of chemical insecticides and rather use alternative methods of control such as plant-based methods. Plant-based methods that are founded on formulations and plant combinations have been found to be eroding due to lack of documentation. This study sought to document the names of plants used in combinations and formulations and their preparation methods so that they can be further used to set a research agenda specific to affordable pest control methods for the Province. Surveys using the convenience and stratified purposive sampling techniques were conducted in selected rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province in order to investigate the plants, their combinations and formulations used by these farmers to control insect pests of maize. A total of 217 farmers were interviewed. Study protocols adhered to ethical standards set by the EasternCape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, whereas percentages were calculated using Microsoft Excel (2010). Findings revealed that most of the plants used were from familiesSolanaceaeandAsteraceae. The most preferred plant was Chenopodiumambrosioides, a perennial herb from the family Chenopodiceae. Although, several arthropods were mentioned by farmers as pests of maize in their cultivation areas, the predominant targets of formulations and combinations were maize stalk borers. These insects were also cited as most troublesome. The common plant part used in combinations and formulations was the leaves. Thefindingsraisedtheneed for continuous scientific validation and documentation of indigenous pest control methods to bridge the generational gap and increase the range of their use.

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